Living the life he would want us to lead
by Dizi 85
Summary: LIFE IS TOO SHORT. So many left us on May 2, 1998, but that certainly isn’t going to stop Hermione,& there's no way will she let it stop George. HG/GW fic. CHPTR 5 UPDATED
1. CH 1: Coming Home

**~ Living the life he would want us to lead ~**

_Life is too short not to make the best and  
the most of everything that comes your way everyday"  
- Sasha Azevedo._

_**Chapter 1**_** – Coming Home.**

_The morning of 20th of April, 1999, dawned bright and clear. The sun was glistening on every reflective surface, warming the air and the heart. _

_It was to this image that Hermione Granger opened her eyes,(for just over the 300th time since the last battle, being absconded in this prison of a private hospital bed) and seeing this picture-perfect scene, begged her Doctor at St. Mungos to finally release her._

"Doctor Thorpe, you have to let me leave! I'm walking again now, and my stitches are fully healed. I'm even having some accidental magic, AND..."

_The doctor interrupted, his voice louder then hers, to drown out the persistent know-it-all saviours argument._

"MS GRANGER! I'm sorry, but I must insist. You have **no** place of residence, **no** next-of-kin to be found, and we have **not** stabilised your core yet. If we do not give you the significant time for the barriers around your core to heal naturally, then you could not only be a harm to yourself, but the public at large."

"But, Doctor Thorpe! Surly you must see that...."

"AGAIN, Ms Granger, until this is sorted out I **must** insist that you remain here till such requirements for your discharge have been met. You may be one of the three saviours of the Wizarding World, but this is MY hospital, and you will be treated the same as everyone in my charge."

_With a stern bob of his head, and a swift 180 degree turn, Doctor Stan Thorpe efficiently swept out of Hermione's nursing chambers, and down the corridor._

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_All this had already happened by 8 am, so by the time 10 am came around, and with that the beginning of visiting hours, "the brains of the golden trio" had organised a lengthy list of questions that she was sure her "family" of visitors could answer._

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"Hermione, Dear, how are you today?" _Mrs Weasley bustled in, bags piled high of clean clothes, flowers, gifts and (of course) various forms of reading material for the bushy-haired convalescent._

_She smiled, wondering just HOW Molly had floo'ed over with all of that, and not dropped a single thing!_

"Much better Mrs Weasley, but that......"

"Now now, what have I told you? Its **Mum** to you, and if you can't handle that Molly"

_The young witch blushed_. "Sorry Mu...mu......Molly. It seems that old habits really do die hard."

_The mother-of-so-many kept on bustling around_. "Never mind pumpkin, it's probably those silly pain-killing potions for your knee. So, what gossip have the nurses plied you with today?"

_Harry's best friend just had to giggle, did this woman ever stop?_

"Molly!.................... Molly...................... MUM!"

_The cuddly, older redhead froze in her tracks, shocked at the sudden change of her name_. _Hermione took the advantage of such focus from the Weasley matriarch, getting her to sit down next to the bed_.

"Molly, I feel quite ready to leave, but that hellion of a medico, Doctor Thorpe, is refusing to budge an inch! He says that I have to meet a list of requirements so long, that it puts my own study schedules to shame!

_Arthurs wife grinned at the girl, teasing herself in her apprehensiveness_. "But of course I can help you sort this out dear, where's this list we need get filled?"

_And so the two women sat and planned, long into and past lunch. Soon the afternoon-tea cart arrived, and with that came two trainee Aurors._

"Hey hey hey! How's two of my favourite girls?"

_One red and one chocolate head quickly raised themselves from the papers spread on the coverlet, to the green-eyed man storming through the door._

"Harry!!!" _the bookworm yelped, trying to remove herself from her seated position to give him a proper greeting._

_He ran forward, catching her as she started to topple_. "Come on Mione, let's try not to hurt you again, we do want you out as soon as possible"

"OI! Man, am I going I have to go all "protective-brother" on you? Bloody hell, jumping from lunch with my sister, to nuzzling my other one?"

_Mrs Weasley only tittered at the boys antics, moving the papers onto a hastily transfigured table, while Hermione drew her focus to the person leaning on the doorframe._

_Only 13 months ago she would have drooled at the sight (if she had actually had the chance to drool, given all the hiding and running from Death-Eaters that had filled her calendar at the time) but now she would smile and feel happy in her heart that Ron, her friend and puesdo-brother, had come for his daily visit._

_**--------FLASHBACK-----------FLASHBACK--------------------FLASHBACK---------- **_

_**She's been inside nearly two months now. The days passed in a haze of pain, with some recognition that she was missing the funerals, the award ceremonies, the celebration parties and the gruelling repairs and general 'wizarding world goings-on' happening outside St. Mungo's walls.**_

_**Every days her two friends, nay – BROTHERS, kept a vigil at her bedside, helping her piece together the tale that remained after The Battle of Hogwarts (as the Daily Prophet had coined it) while her battered and bruised body struggled through treatment after treatment to return her to her original state. **_

_**Helen's daughter awoke that morning to find only one of her shadows by her side.**_

**"R...r...rr..ron"**

**"Shush Mione. Keep your strength. I'll call the nurse for your painkillers...."**

**_She stretched out her arm, grabbing his wrist, keeping him at her side_. "We need ..t...to talk Ron."**

**_A soft smile spread the freckles on his face_. "Really? I think we need to get some more potions into you!"**

**"No, this is important. I ... I have t make sure you ....k....know..."**

_**The freckled smile only got bigger, and Ron took both her hands in his, squeezing them lightly together on top of her stomach. **_

**"You know I love y..you Ron. B..b..but I...i...i.."**

**"...see me as a brother. I know Mione, I know."**

**_She seemed stunned for a moment, but even that statement could not stop the young woman from completing her mission_.**

**"B..But how could you? I l...l..led you on! & that k..k..kiss..s.."**

**"...Was the kiss of two friends, friends closer then anyone felt was possible. Friends who were scared, frighted to the core....petrified that they were going to die without letting each other know how they truly felt about each other. I really do understand. I should probably get that nurse now, I promised I would as soon........."**

**"No! I have to know... D..do you hate me Ron?**

**_Though his eyes looked sad, the smile grew even bigger_. "Course not sis. Just remember there are now 6 brothers watching your back now, not just one!"**

**_With that Bills youngest brother absconded himself from the room, leaving the girl to contemplate her thoughts_.**

"**6 brothers? But I thought........ OH! HARRY!!!!!" **

_**--------UN-FLASHBACK-------UN-FLASHBACK------------UN-FLASHBACK.---------- **_

" So... Did you miss me?"

_Hermione scoffed_ "Come off it! It was only a day!. Now, are you two going to use your cerebellums to help me or not. Mum and I are planning my escape from this detention centre!" _With their best friends release in mind they set to work._

_By the time the dinner cart had floated in (the staff knew of the girls diamond-hard views on house-elf enslavement – hence why they floated her food in, keeping the elves clearly from her sight) nearly everything had been planned._

"Right", _Molly stated as they enlarged the final checklist and used a sticking-charm to attach it to the far wall_, "let's make sure we have everything under control"

"Item 1: Ability to transport oneself?

"Check" _Harry replyed._

"Proof?" _Molly enquired._

_The bookworm piped up_ "I can still complete a successful apparition, just it's a lot eaiser now", _she said popping almost silently from one side of the room to the other,_ "and I have my cane if my knee gets tired."

"Item 2: Next-of-kin?"

"That's all sorted Mum, no worries."

_Both Hermione and Ron looked worried_. "But son, you're with **Luna** now, and ....."

_The red-headed males eyes nearly popped out of his head_. "Bloody hell mum! **Merlin**, you have to be kidding me! I ment that she has **us** - you, Dad, Bill, Perce, Ginny, Harry and me!"

_His mother tried to unfluster herself_. "Oh... oh Of course!. If...if that alright with you dear?"

"Sure Molly", _the girl said, knowing that as soon as she had a wand and some decent sleep she was getting __"__Wendell and Monica Wilkins"__ back from the land-down-under._

_As Molly began to launch into the next item Hermione intervened_. "Molly, its ok! We've organised Penny...... sorry, "Nurse Clearwater" to visit everyday to help me with my physical therapy, I'm seeing Professor Flitwick every week to help work on my core's barriers. If I have to go out in public while my barriers are convalescing, I PROMISE I will wear a WWW Shield cloak at all times.........."

"But what about where you're staying?"

_The daughter of two fastidious dentists shrugged_ "I guess I'll stay at my parents house till I find a flat or something....."

"Your will do NO such thing! Dear Merlin, did you think I'd turn you out on the street?", _Molly ranted_. "You'll be staying with us and that's final! Staying on your own, seriously!"

_Hermione blushed, trying to thank the older witch, while being suffocated in a trademark molly-hug_.

"Thank you very much", _she finally got out, after she finally extricated herself from the vice-like grip._

"Now, _smiling all the way,_ "Who's going to give all these papers and plans to the welcome-witch so I can finally get out of here?"

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_It seems even __**three**__ saviours can not rush the discharge paperwork needed to leave a medical care establishment, even one as organised as St. Mungos. The two boys decided to stay out the wait on the floor of Hermione's room, their Mother leaving for The Burrow and some very hungry family more then likely looking for their dinner. The trio finally joined the ranks at the shambles of a magical home just after breakfast the next morning._

_It was only as the door closed on Bill's old room (where she would be staying during her time with the Weasley's) that she realised she had not seen hide nor hair, or even __**mention**__, of George since the battle just over 11 months ago._

"_**I wonder what's happened to George.........." **_

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A/N: Hey guys.

Yes I'm back. Can you believe it? I certainly can't!

This is something that I've been dreaming the last few nights, and after finally getting a few days off work, I've decided to put fingers to keys & type.

Yes this **does** centre around Hermione, and soon Hermione & George. It DOES Follow Bk 7, but not the epilogue _( I live in an EPILOGUE-FREE WORLD, THANK YOU!)_

It starts on the **20th of April, 1999**, approximately 11 months after the Final Battle. There WILL be some character bashing, and some adult references.

Also, as all my stalkers (sorry, _FOLLOWERS_) know - if any of you do still exist – I am a full-time teacher now (high school) & as such my updates (when the term goes back) will be irregular to say the least (And **no**, my story does not need a daily dose of bran :P )

Thank you all for sticking around. I cant wait to see what happens next!

Dizi 85


	2. CH 2: As a door closes

**A/N: Welcome Back to LTLHWWU2L!**

Ok, first things first: Over 40 people read my story in the last 24 hours, but not **ONE** measly review? Seriousally guys, that is down right RUDE

**I always read and review! and you should too!**

That being said, this story will NOT Be updated untill i reach **6** reviews on EACH CHAPTER so far**.  
ta **(remember guys, its just plain manners here on FF) DIZI

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**~ Living the life he would want us to lead ~**

"_Life is too short..... make fun of it!"  
- Heather Douglas (Australian Poet)._

_**Chapter 2**_** – As a door closes, a window opens.**

_For two weeks now Hermione Granger has "belonged". She has a room, a place at a dining table, a family that loves her and see's her as one of her own. She's had doctors to help her, and old teachers to fall back on. But to her nothing seems right._

_To her, it feels like something is missing. And though she has seen the grave, and said goodbye to one of the "Wheezes", she still hasn't seen the other. It is this other "Wheeze" that has her on edge, looking round every corner, waiting apprehensively for him to appear._

_The night before had not lent much sleep to Ms Granger – her memories constantly reminding her of the memorial taking place in just over 30 hours. She finally fell into truly restful sleep well after dawn, only to be jolted awake by a loud, venomous voice two floors below her._

_Hermione left her room and began to creep down to the source of the racket. She finally started to understand the abuse being hurled when she reached the corridor leading to Fred&Geo... SORRY... George's room._

"You pitiful excuse for a wizard, do you even care? Answer me DAMMIT!"

_The silence lasted only seconds._

"Merlin, react you prick! Wake up and smell the Nose-Bleed Nougat, you inbred mutated bastard! I'm leaving you George and there is nothing you can do to stop me"

_The Weasley's houseguest could see the action through the gap between door and jamb. Though she could discern the svelte cut of Angelina (her hand locked firmly in Lee Jordon's tan one) the only sign of Molly's fifth son was a flash of ginger hair in between pillow and eiderdown._

"For Godric's sake George, so he's dead, GET OVER IT!! I refuse to tie myself down to an emotional cripple who sits in his room all day, hiding from the reality that his life is flushing down the floo!"

"Angi, that enough..."

"No, its not enough", _the Gryffindor girl screamed. _"I've had it from here to Atlantis! George you better listen to me, and listen good."

_Hermione waited. Jesus, after all that screaming there had to be a good explanation of the older girls disgraceful behaviour._

_The upset young woman's voice was softer now, feather like, like speaking to a distraught child_. "George, I loved you once, but I cant take it anymore. Its like I'm single again, but I can't go out cause everyone knows your still here....And with working with Lee at WWW all the time, trying to keep it afloat.......... We're in love George. Have been for over eight months now"

_The covers rustled, sliding _over the last patch of visible hair and taking it from sight.

"I love him more then I've loved anyone, my cousins, my parents..... Even you.  
I....I'm sorry George. I'm leaving you and........ I'm leaving here."

_Tears could be heard from the once-twins bed room, then a bang as the door swung hard against the wall, as Miss Johnson fled, racing down the rickety stairs, and absconding herself in the Weasley's back field._

"Look man, I'm...I'm really sorry... It just happened, you know?......... She was hot and she was there and............ Look, I'll spare you the details, but we're leaving Britain, George. Moving out to the Colonies straight after the memorial tomorrow. Too many of us are haunted by our memories here George. Especially you."

_With that the best announcer Hogwarts had ever heard left his friends bedroom for the last time, joining his lady in the field, taking no time to whisk her away with a not-so-loud "plop"._

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_She didn't know how long she had sat there, just staring at the dust bunny outside the entrance to the twins abode, but she finally untangled herself from her spot on the floor and lightly padded over to the door._

"......G...."

_Speak? She didn't dare. What if he was upset? Asleep? She didn't want to wake him, or upset him more._

_But, as the curtains blew in the mid-spring wind, the sunlight shone on the mass of blankets, showing the movements that only be caused by a young man trying to control the silenced, but gasping, weeping sobs escaping his body_.

_Hermione walked forward, breaking the silencing charms field, to find him screaming though the highest pain._

"Fred... DON'T leave me....PLEASE...... I'm sorry...... FRED!!!!!!!

_Distraught for her friend, and feeling the pain and anguish of his loss, she threw back the covers and hugged him tightly, fighting against his tears to soothe his heartache, and calm his mind._

-----------------------.------------------------.--------------------

_Hours later, as the moon rose, Molly discovered the two of them still curled up in the bed. Against her better judgement she left them there. It was a first – no one had been able to touch George since his brothers death ._

Maybe", _she thought._ "just maybe, Hermione ,might be the one to pull my son around".

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**_A/N: REMEMBER TO REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!! or i'l be writting this story and NOT PUBLISHING!!!_**


	3. CH 3: Stop all the clocks

_A/N: Thank you to all of those who FINALLY decided to review._

I REPEAT_ – It is __**GOOD MANNERS**__ to review, we don't like __**drive-bys in RL**__, just like I (And others) don't like __**"read-bys" in FF**__. PLEASE REVIEW!!!_

_Ok, this is a little sad, so prepare your tissues!_

_**ADDED DISCLAIMER**: W. H. Auden, I'm only borrowing your poem, you can have it back now, IT"S NOT MINE  
__(for General disclaimer, please see my profile!)  
__  
Ttfn, DIZI_

_Ps: thoughts / internal monologues = _**PLAIN BOLD in inverted commas " ".**

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**~ Living the life he would want us to lead ~**

"When I hear somebody sigh _**"Life **__**is **__**hard"**_  
I am always tempted to ask _**"Compared to what?"**_  
_- Sydney J. Harris – (American journalist)__  
_-----------------------.------------------------.--------------------

_**Chapter 3**_** – **_**Stop all the clocks....**_

_The morning of The Hogwarts Battle's anniversary dawned bright and clear, not that Hermione Granger was awake to see it. Not long after the sun finally rose the only thing she was wondering in her half-asleep stupor was_ **"Where in Merlin has that hard but deliciously warm pillow gone?"**

"**Hang on",** _Hermione's brain finally switched on, even though her eyes weren't open._ **"My pillow isn't hard, nor warm!"**

_Another moment of cognition._ **"and I DON'T remember going back to my room!"  
**_With that her eyes opened to find a wall covered with little pieces of written-on paper, annotated and sketched diagrams, and splotches of something's unrecognisable._

"**Where am I? I THINK I'm at the Weasley's but........... OH!"**

_Her eyes fell on a picture of two male mirror images._ **"of course! I'm still in Georges room..... I'm STILL IN GEORGES ROOM?!?!"**

_She quickly rolled over to find a male figure of stocky build, and a shock of ginger hair (reaching just past the persons ears), sitting on the edge of the soft mattress_. _Not wanting to disturb the silently sitting form, Helen's daughter moved softly onto her knees, and positioned herself behind the right-hand side of the younger twin._

_This movement did not supply a response. After agonising minuets of strained silence the female on the bed finally spoke._

"H...hey."

"Hey."

"**Well, it's a start"**, _she thought. _"H.....How are you feeling? I'm so sorry fo...."

"No. I'd like to thank you – it's the first night in a long time that I haven't had to suffer the nightmares."  
_The girls jaw dropped_. "Nightmares?"

_The male's head flopped even lower_. "You really have no idea, do you Hermione?"

_She wrapped her hand lightly over his shoulder, squeezing soft enough to give him reassurance – but not hard enough to hurt._

"He was my twin, no one else's – just mine. He always knew exactly what I was thinking before I did, and vice versa. He loved potions – while I did well, but it held no interest to me. Same with arithmancy. Fred would break down every single syllable to each new spell or charm, all ingredients or tasks in every potion, every magical endeavour we used in our inventions he analysed, till he knew it was safe. Then we made them. He always said he was too worried about either of us getting hurt to not use the time to check all the aspects thoroughly. He...he..." _The red-head began to break down again. Hermione wrapped herself around him once more, letting his head drop on her shoulder._

_Something about the moment, or maybe the heartfelt outburst from the Weasley that she usually wasn't very close to, stirred a long forgotten memory of well-published verse in her head. For some unknown reason she thought it was appropriate for him to hear it, and she hugged him closer to her._

"He was your north, your south, your east, your west. Your working week, and your Sunday rest....."

_His head lifted from her, and for a moment all she could do was fall deeper and deeper into the crystal blue depths hidden so plainly on his face, before slowly pulling herself away._

"I'm sorry George, I shouldn't have said...."

_He put his right-hand fingers over her mouth, stopping the flow of her apology._

"How ... how do you do that? How do you take the words right out of my heart and make them sound so... elegant?"

_The muggleborn blushed_. "Don't thank me, thank W. H. Auden. I'm just a muggle-raised witch who can quote him."

_George sat up straighter, maybe an act (Hermione wasn't sure) but stated to show some life in his long- dead cerulean eyes._

"I wish I could hear the rest of it – it sounds ...interesting"

_Hermione Grangers curiosity was raised. The one way (she thought) that she __may__ just get through to the last hellion of the Weasley clan, and return him to the land of the living, was through __Muggle Poetry__?_

"I...I have the complete works of Auden in my trunk, plus some other poets, if your interested?"

_The softest of smiles graced his sun-deprived face._

"I'd like that Hermione, I'd like that a lot".

_That he said that surprised her even further, but she would not show it outwardly. She knew, if he was his old self, he would be teasing her about the "entire British Museum Library" her school trunk had seemed to become._

_Instead, and by some grace that God (or even Merlin himself) had given her, she was out of his door like a shot and up to her truck – barely missing (and not even registering) Molly sitting on the bottom stair outside her sons room. Her only thought being_ **"I have to get him to smile again like that. I'm not going to let him fall back now!"**

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_Molly was aghast! He was talking! He was...responding! For months the only communication she had had with her middle son was in a monosyllabic tone and didn't seem to stretch further then a few words, sometimes managing a half decent sentence. But to hear that conversation! However short it was!_

"**Thank Merlin! Maybe he will truly be ok!"**

_With that final thought, and a quick turn, she raced down the stairs to the family awaiting her presence so they could leave for the memorial. Her original intention going upstairs had been to come and ready the two bed-hogs for the day long festivities, but now that George was finally seeming to get somewhere, she could not stop his healing now. The graves would be there tomorrow, and the next day. They could wait._

_Tearing her gaze away from lingering on her inventor-of-a-sons doorway, she joined the quorum of red-heads flooing towards the historic school, leaving the brightest witch of her age and the most inventive wizard in living memory, to heal together._

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"There it is"

_Hermione, after finally securing the sonnets and some other tomes, finally found the copy of Auden that had been avoiding her in the very bottom her book bag. _**"Just what was it doing in there for?**", _and began to pace back down to the solitary Weasley's room. _

_Just as she entered the room she heard the sounds of the final flooing of the Weasley's, and remembered exactly why today was so important. _**"The memorial!"**

"George?", _she asked uneasily, as she sat back beside him_, "The rest of your family has left for Hogwarts.... Do.....do you want to join them?"

_The light that had so shortly appeared in his eyes seemed to dim just a tad_. "Not today Hermione, I'm....I'm not ready yet".

"But I know we are both ready to hear some more Auden!", _she said as she held up her collection of books, trying to bring back the smile to his pale freckled visage._

_A flicker of a smile shone through his sadness, so she crossed her legs, sat facing the young man, and began to read._

"**Funeral Blues.**

**Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,  
Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,  
Silence the pianos and with muffled drum  
Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.**

Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead  
Scribbling on the sky the message He Is Dead,  
Put crepe bows round........"

_And so the day continued, long into night-time, remembering those loved and lost, through the immortal words of poetic artists._

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**A/N: Hey guys..............**

**What do you think? Its getting longer, and I'm liking where it is going!**

**Can you believe I printed out my draft notes of the chapter and TOOK THEM TO CHICAGO (the stage show, not the city). We had to arrive two hours early (my mum insisted, for parking reasons) so I sat in the bar and HAND-WROTE notes about this (2 sides A4, and 3 small notebook pgs back2back).**

**Yes, we KNOW I am mad, this is just proof!!!**

_Also, for some strange reason, I'm "Hp"-ing "Funeral Blues". It will be up soon, so keep looking for it!_

**Anyways.................... I know I broke my rule about ****6 reviews****. But I will NOT put up chapter 4 ****UNLESS THE REVIEWS INCREASE!**** There are people who have alerted this story and DO NOT REVIEW! I know who you are! Do not mess with the angry writer when she discovers you are doing a ****read-by****!**

**Ok, vent over. ttfn **_DIZI_


	4. CH4: Me, Myself and I

_A/N: Thank you to all of those who FINALLY decided to review. thats the FOUR of you._

_I only updated because someone pm'ed me and BEGGED. I find if really rude when over 100 people read one chapter, but only 4 review. Thank u to thoses for who did. you know who you are!_

_oh,enjoy this......... **NO UPDATE UNTILL I GET 6 REVIEWS**, I've already written the next chapter!_

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**~ Living the life he would want us to lead ~**

"If it is to be,  
It is up to ME!  
_(, Laywer, Australia)_  
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_**Chapter 4**_** – Me, Myself and I**

_Taking a deep breath, Hermione tried to roll over, but hit a warm solid mass instead._

"Urgh, Hermione! Your hair's smothering me!"

_In her half-awake state she found herself moving again (against her own volition),ending up face planting what felt like a piece of moist paper._

"**Moist paper? How did I fall asleep on moist paper?"**

_Her eyes slapped open, and she finally discovered exactly what was lying under her head.  
__The next thing George heard was a horrified gasp, then a violent repetition of "reparo" after "reparo_"

"Hermione,......... Stop it, it's too early.... HERMIONE!"

"My "First Folio"!!!.......It's totally ruined............REPARO..... It's not WORKING!!!!!"

_The red-head sat up_. "Of course it won't work – its only a little drool, it will dry without a reparo's help."  
_She looked amazed – how did he know? And just when did he become so comfortable with her?_

"Look", _he sighed as he removed himself from the bed_, "It's not a first edition, is it?"

_She shook her head, _"It'll be fine then".

_She went to respond in the negative, but her stomach spoke for her instead. __George gazed where the noise had come from_."How long has it been since you've eaten?"

"Probably just as long as you". _His stomach decided to respond, just as earnestly as her's_.

"How about we get out of these smelly clothes and then I'll make some breakfast?"

"Well you don't need to tell this Weasley about food twice" _George replied, eyes twinkling over the prospect over a much-needed feed._

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_Hermione walked into Molly's sanctuary to find the Ultimate Weasley prankster sitting on the counter sipping a steaming cup of "joe"._

"You better have brewed me some Weasley, or by Merlins Beard....."

"Its on the counter! Don't threaten my life yet Granger – it's not even 7am yet. Remember, Murder is soo much easier after midday."

_The girl just shook her head at the badly formed joke, and after grabbing the much needed supply of caffeine, joined him on the counter_.

_For a short while the pair watched the sun rise over the folk of Ottery , till a certain freckled personages stomach reminded them of their reason for being in the kitchen in the first place._

"Ok, lets get some food in you, hey? Sounds like your stomach will implode like one of your failed experiments if we don't! _George took the teasing and accepted it, maybe his sense of humour was suffering under the lack of food too!_

_After finding all the bits and bobs, the pair decided to make their own private stack of pancakes. The kitchen was littered with pancake making bits and pieces_.

_Hermione had just filled the mixing bowl with some flour when George came up bend her. _"Hey Hermione, you've got some flour on you face."

"Where?"

"Right........HERE!" _And George slapped a handful of flour right over her nose and the rest of her face._

"G.....G.........GEORGE?!?!?!!??" _The big brown eyes began to water. He knew he was in for it now._

_She had tried to talk, tell him it was ok, but then the sneezing started_.

"I.... I.... **ACHOO!"**_** BOOM**_!

_As the first sneeze happened a cloud of flour appeared in the room, right over Georges head, and dumped its cargo all over him._

"**ACHOO!"**_** BOOM**_! _The second sneeze sent the baking powder up the stove's pipe, logging it firmly in the top._

_George shook the Flour out of his hair_. "Hermione, are you alright?"

"I..I think I am.....** ACHOO!"**_** BOOM**_!

_Next the bottle of syrup dissolved, letting the sticky goop fall to the floor and create sickly-sweet death-traps of maple-coloured ooze._

_The Weasley boy quickly came up to the girl, pinching her nose to stop the sneezes and bring her back under control._

"Hermione, your magic's going haywire, just breathe........ That's right.. in.......out......", _the girl complied_. "Are you ready for me to let go now"

"Id dink dough".

_Fred's twin let go, only to only have to duck seconds later._

"**ACHOO!"**_** BOOM**_!

_The Kitchen table flew up in the air, turned 360, and landed exactly in its spot._

_George looked up from his position on the floor_. ".....................and now, ladies and gentlemen, for the ladies next trick....." _and received a swat on the head_.

"Stop it George, you know my magical barriers are holey......"

"What? Like St Jude? Should I bow down and worship you or something?", _which he did, getting on his hands and knees, arms outstretched, raising them up and down. _

"OH Hermione! Long may you reign as the Queens of disastrous sneezles! Praise Hermione.............."

That's it Bozo, prepare to meet thy maker" _the girl blew her hair off her face, pushing up her sleeves as she stalked closer._

_George sat up confused_, "But you've already met my paren..OOOFFF!", _and found himself flat on his back, lap full of bushy-haired witch, who preceded to start a tickle war till the death(or exhaustion, what ever came first)._

_Just as the fight began to turn to Georges favour (with Hermione firmly planted on her back on the kitchen table, her stomach sat upon by the lanky redhead, and being tickled time after time till she screamed "banana" – or so George proclaimed) that the other inhabitants of the burrow (Ginny, Harry, Arthur and Molly) poked their heads around the kitchen door._

_Molly was ready to rip the two magical past-adolescencets "a new one", but was quickly subdued by her daughter, her husband and her...her....her Harry. No one wanted either of the two laughing personages in the next room to stop what they were doing and return to their gloomy appearances that had graced the house for the last month (or 12 months, considering the once-twin now covered in flour). Cleaning the kitchen and getting breakfast could wait._

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_After more then ten minuets following the tickle-tussle (where the all the pancake ingredients, as well as most of the items contained in Molly's spice rack, had become (unwillingly) part to the two-sided warfare's ammunition) anybody entering the kitchen would have found both George and Hermione lying on Molly's once clean floor, finally catching their breath._

"Um... I don't think your Mother will be impressed with this mess."

"Why? Her floors are always clean enough to eat off! We just.....

".........put the food on the floor for her. I know George. I know."

_George rolled over , looking at her bug-eyed_. "Um..... Ummm".

_The "brains of the trio" quickly sat up_. "Whats wrong George? Was it something I said?"

_He sat up to her level_ "You............you finished my s..s...sentence!"

"Oh........" _she was surprised_. "I didn't mean to.... it just happened, and..."

"No one........ no one except Fred knew what I was going...... going to say. You.... you can't replace him," _George began to get louder and louder, screaming at her as he ran outside,_ "YOU CAN'T! I WON'T LET YOU!!!"

_The floured, peppered, and thymed girl remained on the floor in shocked daze. After finally snapping out of her stupor, she dusted herself off, shedding parsley and oregano as she stormed out the kitchens stable-door leading to the outside._

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"George...................... GEORGE!" _The curly-haired girl was searching the Weasley's backfield (while unbeknownst to her - being watched by the Mother of the magical red-heads from the kitchen window) for the teenage wizard who had just run off._

_She knew he couldn't appriprate in the properties wards, so unless he'd stolen Harry cloak.... __**A...HA! He's gone up that damm Elder tree!**_

"George Fabian Weasley! Get out of that Elder tree THIS INSTANT! I refuse to talk to you while you hide in the leaves."

"Bugger off Hermione."

"Don't you use that tone with me Gred, it might work from Ron, but it doesn't work with me."

"DON'T CALL ME GRED, just **leave** me **ALONE**!"

_Hermione huffed, this was NOT at all going to plan, if she even had a plan to begin with._

"Look George, just listen to me for one cotton-picking minute, and then I'll go.... comprendei?"

_A mass of flame-coloured hair, and two beady blue eyes poked out at the end of one spot in the Elder bunches of leaves_

"So!!!?!?!?.... talk!"

"Just listen Bozo. There are **3 musketeers** who would die before they saw you hurt – **Me****, ****Myself ****and ****I** – So you better pull yourself out of whatever "pity party" you holding and come back down to earth, before I come back in there and pull you out myself!"

_With that, and a self-indulgent stamp of her foot, Helen Granger's daughter stormed back inside to the bombsite (formally known as the kitchen), leaving the young wizarding business owner to his thoughts (and the bow-truckles, but he didn't know that)._

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**_A/N: Right guys,..................... READ AND REVIEW I know i do!_**


	5. CH 5: Bump in the night

_A/N: Thank you to all of those who DID REVIEW!!  
__I am sorry that this did not go out eariler - but now its school holidays i'm hope to get at least 3 chapter up on here and several more 1/2 completed soi can post during the school term. No rest for the wicked eh?_

_Sorry if this is short, but I have cut this chapter into two, as this felt like the place to leave it._

_REMEMBER - READ and REVIEW....I know I do!_**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

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**~ Living the life he would want us to lead ~**

"It's not the things that go bump in the night that scare me,  
It's the politicians that do!_**"**_  
_- George Bush Snr – (Past American president)__  
_-----------------------.------------------------.--------------------

_**Chapter 5**_** – Bump in the night****.**

_Fred Weasley had not seen hide nor hair of "the bushy haired flour-bandit" for just over 48 hours. He knew she was avoiding him – probably fretting over getting into another verbal skiff. All he wanted to do was apologise – or maybe even grovel on his knees at her feet. He really did feel terrible about his reaction the last time he saw her._

_One thing amazed George – since the 1st of May he had felt more at peace...more alive, then any other time in the last 12 months. He may be a boy (and every witch knows that boy's are stupid) but even __**he**__ knew that if there was one person who broke through your barriers and made you feel just a little bit whole, then you grabbed hold of them, and held on tight for all eternity!_

_All this was running through George's head as he sat at the kitchen table in the heart of The Burrow._

_He was just starting to worry if she was actually eating, when his Mother placed a tray pilled with sandwiches, orange juice and fresh fruit in the middle of the table, stuck her head up the stairwell and hollered _"Hermione! LUNCH!"

_He son watched amazed as a golden light surrounded the stack of food, then with a quick "pop" disappeared._

"She's eating................?? She's eating UPSTAIRS avoiding ME?!?!?!"

_Without waiting for a reply (And not really expecting one) the last living inventor of the portable swamp ran up the eight flights of stairs to his eldest brother's room – otherwise knows as "Hermione's Shack"._

_He slammed the door open panting as he yelled_ "Hermione! Please! I'm so sorr...."

_The room was a mess – a pigsty would have been too nice a word to describe it – so bad was it, that George was stopped in his tracks._

"Your...your not leaving, are you? You...you CAN'T! I wont let you!"

_The curly-haired girl removed her nose from the tome on her lap, looking at the completely remorseful and frazzled wizard who had just clamoured through her doorway._

"It's ok George, don't apologise........ I've just had a lot of things on my mind......."

_He was still flabbergasted, though his brain did register for a second that he __was__ forgiven_ – "but...but the mess?!?!?!......... You're a neat freak Hermione! Why does it look like one of my explosions in here?"

"Cause I'm researching, silly"

"Researching?"

_A quite-unlike-her giggle escaped her as she ducked behind the curly curtain known as her hair._ "Well...........I'd actually done all the work before I went with the boys on that debacle of a horcrux hunt – but my notes and estimated results, seem to be lost somewhere in my bottomless bag.............." _and she motioned to the small blue-beaded bag at her feet._

_He really thought she was joking.............._ "That's... that cant be! Its soo tiny!"

_She smiled, a little pained_. "It was a bag I brought from the muggle world, to go with my robes for your brothers wedding. It cost me an extra 50 Gallenons to have the charm put on it, instead of buying a pre-charmed one. The store-wizard couldn't believe I wanted his best bottomless charm on a muggle clutch-purse!"

_George's brain began to piece the pieces together_. "So... this is ALL From your purse?", _he said, his arms sweeping over the pile of tin cans, the hiking equipment, the life raft (inflated) the 7 trunks, over 100 books in a VERY Tidy pile (the only tidy pile there), 5 sleeping bags (single and doubles), and god knows what else, ALL spread over the entirety of the room – including the bed._

"Oh, there's more in there.... not only my notes!"

_George's eyes just couldn't bug out any further, would this girl EVER stop surprising him? He truly hoped not, but he did consider that his eyes my never retreat back into his body if she kept going the way she was!_

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_An hour later found the two magical beings still hard at it, as Hermione took out item after item, and George sorted them into the available piles appearing in various places around the room._

_The dust-covered duo were just about to retire for some dinner when George heard his compatriots voice from the spot on the bed._ "Oh look, my 3rd year book bag. I wonder........." _then a shriek, soo loud it could chill the soul of any warm-blooded male to pure ice, came from Hermione_. _Just as she opened the leather bag a fully-fledged boggart reformed itself in front of the terrified girl._

_Most, including George, would say that Hermione's boggart would more than likely be someone along the lines of Professors Vector or Mcgonnogal, informing the young lass of her failure of all her N.E.W.T.S_. _However, the sight that was in front of the surviving twin how was Hermione_ _scrabbling up the headboard, trying to increase the distance between her and the man wearing the long white coat._

"**I'm sorry Miss Granger, their situation is dire....Why did you not say something about this sooner? You've permanently damaged their cortex.... Their deaths are fully at fault of your failure with memory charms,....... The Grangers will never be the people they once where......"**

_The girl could not stop screaming_. "It's not true, I did nothing wrong, It was the only way... STOP IT, STOP IT, STOP!!!!!!"

_George picked up the pair of football spikes he was supposed to be sorting, and threw them directly at the shape-shifters back_. "OI, STUPID!!! OVER HERE!!!"

_The doctor (As George could she what he was now) swiftly turned, focused on the red-head, and quickly formed into his deceased half, showing a not-so-mild stage of decomposition._

"**You let me die George... You didn't do any thing to save me..."**

"That not true Gred"

"**.....You didn't protect me............... You said if I'd die you'd follow me... You've got to follow me Brother..."** _The creature began to move closer to George, raising his hands towards the other boy's neck_.

"I'm sorry Fred, but its not my time" _the younger twin stuttered_ "You'd have to wait for me Brother..... Ridickulus!"

_The boggart tripped and ripped off its mask, showing an alive and well Fred Weasley – just in zombie costume._ "I was right Twin 2! These Mickey Jacksman 'Thriller' costumes are just what we need to Halloween in WWW!"

"Yes they are brother.... Goodbye", _and with a swish and flick George Weasley swept the terribly confused boggart into an empty shoebox, sealed the cardboard rectangular prism_, _and sent it into the cupboard on the other side of the room._ _As soon as this was finalised he gathered the still-shaking Hermione into his arms and tried to calm the quivering brunette._

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_And so the night carried out much like many of the others in their recent past. However, the roles this time were reversed, with her crying on his shoulder until they both slumbered on in her quarters past dawn_.

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_AN2: yes, I did bring up Michael Jackson - May he rest in piece.  
AN3:THe **bold** text is what the boggart says - just to make that clear._


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